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Residential choice and community formation

Understanding the types of urban environments that New Zealanders want to live in and the neighbourhood characteristics that contribute to wellbeing is critical to addressing the overarching research question of the Resilient Urban Futures programme: which potential urban futures will result in the most resilient, liveable, competitive cities?

A stand-alone house on a sizeable section has been the traditional New Zealand dwelling type and it remains the housing aspiration of most New Zealanders. However, the affordability of this type of housing is beyond the reach of many and the sprawling urban form it creates is at odds with the resilient, compact city model advocated in the growth plans of our major cities. Medium density residential developments, located close to public transport and community amenities, offer an alternative urban future.

We interview residents as they move into, live, and move out of case study medium density neighbourhoods. We are interested to understand the perceptions and circumstances that determine the housing choices households make, including the trade-offs made between dwelling and location characteristics, cost and amenity access. Residents’ amenity use, transport patterns, and experiences of neighbouring and sense of community are also explored.

Case study sites are located in Auckland and Christchurch. They include developments that have received significant public sector investment, for example, Hobsonville Point, a greenfields site in North West Auckland. The case studies include development histories and analysis of how sites are marketed to potential residents. The Christchurch study analyses consequences of post-earthquake population movements and examines factors that facilitate the formation of new communities.